In Practice
by Lemon Green
Summary: For there to be a second time, there needs to be a first. For Calleigh, it was all so much more than she'd ever expected. Fairly Calleigh-centric.


So this idea came to me about a year ago when I discovered one of the bathrooms at school has a condom dispenser. I personally find that incredibly awkward, but it gave me an idea, and I went with it.

Huge thanks to Jessica237, without whom this would still be sitting on the Island of Misfit Stories. Happy belated birthday (even though you practically wrote and named the story). Sorry it didn't come out a couple months earlier.

Calleigh squared her shoulders. Making sure the aisle was completely clear, she zeroed in on her target and went for it, grabbing mid-walk. But she hesitated at the end of the aisle, her feet suddenly planted to the ground. It really shouldn't be this hard. "What the hell, Calleigh?" she mumbled to herself. This was ridiculous! All she had to do was pay and go. Pay and go.

At this thought, Calleigh frowned. Did that work? What did she think she was going to do? Just walk up there and buy them like she did it every day?

She rolled her eyes. Of _course_ that's exactly what she should do. People _did_ do this every day, and when it came right down to it, they really weren't paying attention to her. The cashier wouldn't go out and tell her friends that "some girl _definitely_ just bought condoms." Of course, if the shaking in her hands and the warmth of her cheeks were any indication, the entire store would know. They would know what she was going to do, and they'd _know_ she'd never done it before. And more than anything, this thought stopped her in her tracks. It wasn't any of their business. Frustrated with herself, Calleigh turned on her heel and returned the box to its shelf…maybe a little more forcefully than she should have. She didn't really need them, did she?

Yeah…she did. They weren't going to just go for it and hope nothing happened. As it was, that was one of the reasons she was in the store at the moment fighting an internal battle. If only she'd done this in high school like all the other girls…

Very rarely did Calleigh envy the girls she went to high school with, but at least they weren't twenty-two and completely oblivious to what was coming. Calleigh stopped herself immediately at this thought. What was coming? Had they even actually talked about it? He'd actually stopped them, stopped her…

_It had been a long and stressful day of training, the kind of day that always seemed to lend itself nicely to a quiet, relaxing night. For Calleigh and Jake it meant pizza and a movie, though both had been long forgotten. The pizza had grown cold, and watching the movie had given way to other…diversions. Jake was an amazing kisser; there was no denying that fact. In her life, Calleigh couldn't boast a great many relationships, but of the guys she had dated, there was something different about Jake. For as cocky as he could be, he was sweet, attentive, and he had a way of getting under her skin that was both endearing and utterly annoying. He knew how to rile her up, and though she'd never admit it to him, she loved it. Just as she loved the sensations he aroused with the simplest touch, the smallest smile, the most innocent kiss. _

_And when it wasn't simple, small, or innocent…_

_His hand slipped beneath the hem of her shirt, trailing slowly across her bellybutton and down. She tensed instinctively, her heart rate ratcheting. Jake pulled back. "You always do that," he informed her playfully yet matter-of-factly_

"_Do what?" she asked, far too caught up and confused to even try to think clearly._

_Pulling back to look into her eyes, he watched her carefully as he slid his hand to the button of her jeans. Staring her directly in the eyes, he fiddled with the button of her jeans until it came free of the loop, and though she might have tried to hide it, he caught the rapid change her breathing took from short gasps to deep, calming inhalations as she momentarily squeezed her eyes shut before slowly opening them to meet his._

"_Jake?" she asked, once her breathing had returned to normal. _

_He could tell she was worried, could see the wheels turning in her head as she tried to figure out exactly what he was doing. But his wheels were turning too. Finally, he sat back and smiled playfully. "You've never done this before," he blurted out before he could think about what he was saying._

_Calleigh stopped, studying him carefully to gauge a reaction. His tone was neither accusing nor humorous, but his eyes were dancing. "What are you implying, Berkeley?" she asked. "You saying I'm a bad kisser?"_

_Grinning, Jake leaned down and captured her lips once again. "I think you're a great kisser," he said planting kisses along her jaw. "I also think that if your heart were beating any faster, it would stop." For effect, his lips lingered at the soft skin of her pulse point. And if the jackhammer that was her heart wasn't enough to give her away, the tremor in her hand as she brought it to his face was sure to tip him off._

_But she wasn't giving up that easily. "That doesn't mean anything. Did you ever think that maybe it's just you?" she asked her accent thickening just then. He wondered if she did it on purpose…or if she even knew she was doing it._

"_Oh no, that's definitely part of it." Gently, he pushed Calleigh down so she was lying on the couch as he hovered over her. He couldn't help the smirk that formed when he saw the look in her eyes—a mixture of excitement and alarm and confusion. "I also think that as sexy as I am, there's something more behind your excitement—you're terrified."_

_Rarely did anyone call her out like that; she wasn't sure how she felt about it. Frowning, Calleigh opened her mouth to argue, but Jake effectively stopped her with a firm kiss. When he pulled back, she was breathless._

"_What should I be terrified of?" She argued when she'd finally caught her breath._

"_Practice is always different than theory, Cal," he said, a mixture of concern and humor touching his words as he brought his hand up to caress her cheek. "It might not be what you expect."_

"_I'm a big girl; I can take care of myself."_

_His words were ambiguous, hers even more so, and Jake briefly wondered what would happen if he was incorrectly interpreting her actions. So he smirked, kissing her jaw. "I have no doubt about that, but will you still respect me in the morning?" he teased, easily deflecting her suddenly defensive posture._

_Jake knew it worked when she rolled her eyes and pushed him away. "I could ask you the same thing," she countered sassily._

_He'd expected as much from her. Calleigh was a woman in a man's world. Sure there were other women in the academy, but that didn't stop the guys from making snide remarks and sexist comments…even if it was just to rile the women up. He'd seen as well as Calleigh what would happen if she showed weakness amidst the testosterone; one of the women they started with had already been laughed out of the academy, and Jake knew Calleigh was determined that the men would not see not see her that way too. So she pushed herself harder than anyone else would push her (or even themselves for that matter), and Jake couldn't help but wonder if she was doing that now._

_So with one hand gently cupping her face, he asked, "Just like this, Cal?" _

_Her eyes rapidly searched his face, her confusion mounting. "What?" she asked, a gentle frown darkening her delicate features._

"_You've waited this long, and I doubt it's a lack of willingness on the part of your previous boyfriends," he explained with a sardonic smile. _

_In response, she arched an eyebrow, her voice a dangerous whisper. "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, quickly becoming defensive._

_At this, Jake had to smile. "You're cautious and rational," he murmured, punctuating each word with a kiss to her collarbone, "and I'm sure you've got a reason for waiting as long as you have." He was playing with fire, and he knew it, but she was getting frustrated, and he _loved_ frustrated Calleigh._

"_What does it matter if I've never done this?" she asked somewhat indignantly, struggling to pull coherent thoughts together as his lips traveled down her throat, stopping briefly at her collarbone before moving oh-so-slowly down her sternum._

_He stopped just a few inches below her collarbone—just a few seconds before her heart would explode. "You want to do this now? On my living room couch with my roommate in the next room, some screaming kid throwing things against the adjoining wall?"_

_Calleigh found herself far too confused to make a coherent thought. Sure, she'd definitely imagined something more romantic for her first time, and his roommate definitely didn't fit into that equation. But here he was with his breath on her neck, his fingers gently fingering her hair. All she could do was whimper._

_Jake chuckled again. "Why now?" he pressed, loving how she shivered as his stubble brushed against her collarbone. Finding the hem of her shirt, he let his hands slip beneath the fabric and watched triumphantly as her eyes fluttered closed. "What's changed?"_

"_N—nothing," she fairly stuttered, silently cursing her inability to act nonchalant._

_Satisfied that he'd thoroughly flustered Calleigh, Jake kissed her cheek, and maneuvered them back to a sitting position. "Then, why not senior prom, like the rest of us?" _

_Despite her rapid heart rate, despite the shallow, uneven breathing, Calleigh snorted. "Like _you_ were able to wait that long."_

"_Homecoming. Junior year," Jake admitted. "Calleigh, you're rational and cautious," he began, reiterating his earlier statement. "Why now?"_

_Calleigh blushed slightly, turning her face away from his. "It never felt right before." She said quietly, her eyes moving to her fingers as she fiddled with a loose thread on the worn couch. _

_In response, he pressed his lips to her temple, partially to conceal the smile at just how adorable she really was and partially because he just wanted to kiss her. That was as straightforward an answer as he would ever get from Calleigh, but it warmed his heart nonetheless._

_Pulling back, Jake brought his hands once more to her hips. Watching her carefully, he slid them along the waistline until they met at the still unhooked button. Her eyes darkened, but she said nothing as he grasped the fabric with each thumb and forefinger. Gently, he pushed the button back into the loop, smirking once again at the confusion on Calleigh's face and said, "Take some time to think about this, make sure this is what you really want, okay?"_

Well, she'd thought about it, for a very long week. This was it. Now if only she could muster the courage to buy the damn condoms, she'd be set…unless she still had to convince Jake, but in her experience, guys were more than willing when it came to that.

Glancing up and down the aisle once more, Calleigh positioned herself strategically between the condoms and the tampons eyeing the former furtively. If anyone wondered, she was running low on "feminine products." Hearing motion from down the aisle, Calleigh instinctively reached for a box of tampons, pulling them close to her face…she was pathetic…

But she studied the condoms from over her box, and _Good Lord_ there were a lot of them…flavored, lubricated, ribbed, spermicidal, sheepskin, colored, thin, his pleasure, her pleasure…this was becoming ridiculous.

After much deliberation, Calleigh settled on a brand she remembered from the basket of condoms sitting on the counter in the health services office in her undergrad. Surely the school wouldn't give out bad product to college students…she hoped.

She began making her way down the aisle, but her attention was quickly drawn to her basket and its sole occupant sliding back and forth. Calleigh frowned. If she went to the cashier with just this, no doubt he'd know what was going on…she needed it to look like an everyday trip to the drug store. So, weaving her way through the store, Calleigh began grabbing items she would actually use even if she didn't need them now. With her basket appropriately filled, she made her way to the register thankful as the only occupant in line was just putting his wallet away; she set her items on the counter before changing her mind.

Calleigh tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for the clerk, a guy probably close to her age, to scan her purchases and put each one in the bag. Blood drained from her face as he picked up the box of condoms to scan. Not hearing the telltale beep, he scanned the box again. Still nothing. Calleigh glanced around anxiously. Great, he wouldn't be able to scan this box and she'd have to go get a different one or he'd have to call the manager or…

Calleigh stopped herself. Taking in a deep breath, she turned back to the cashier to find him intently studying the box. Seconds seemed to drag by, and Calleigh bit her tongue. If she said anything now, it would only draw more attention. Finally, the cashier returned his attention to the register, hitting a few buttons before dropping the box unceremoniously into the bag with the other items. Calleigh let out a sigh, thankful when she was finally able to push the money into his hands.

"Thanks," he said, holding the bags out to her. "You have a good night." Calleigh couldn't help it, she stopped mid reach, only able to hold his steady gaze for a few seconds before she began to blush. Calleigh quickly averted her gaze. He _knew_. Oh Lord, he knew.

-//-

When she arrived at her apartment, Jake was already there. How he got in, she didn't know, but she opened her door and was immediately bombarded with the familiar and spicy smells of southern cooking. She'd stopped briefly in the doorway, confused and alert, before Jake appeared in the kitchen doorway.

"Were you planning to ever come home?" he asked, smirking.

Calleigh frowned, self-consciously hiding the bag behind her. "How did you get in?"

"Borrowed the spare key from your car." He explained casually as he turned on his heel and headed back for the kitchen. "I thought we could do dinner."

She chose to ignore the fact that he'd gotten into her car and taken her key. Instead, she asked, "Since when do you cook?" Depositing her keys and purse on the table, Calleigh did a turn, quickly surveying her kitchen. Two pots were going on the stove and a series of bowls, some hers and some Jake's, had been stacked neatly in the sink. The kitchen was still fairly clean, definitely an oddity with Jake in there.

"Have a seat, it's almost ready," Jake ordered, waving a wooden spoon between her and the table. "Nope, go sit down," he repeated as she moved to help him.

He served up dinner quickly and Calleigh searched her brain, completely baffled. The insecure part of her—the part that seemed to come standard on every girl, the part she'd worked so hard to suppress—told her to expect the worst. However, she pushed those thoughts away and looked up to find Jake watching her carefully. "This is really good," she told him. "You'd make a good housewife…maybe I'll keep you."

Jake laughed deviously. "I _am_ good," he replied, arching an eyebrow.

Calleigh immediately flushed pink, dipping her head as she quickly hid an impish smile with another bite of her dinner.

"You know," Jake began, his voice low and gravelly. He paused for a moment before gently tipping her chin up so she was once more looking him right in the eyes. "You're sexy when you blush."

Warmth spread through her entire body and her breath momentarily caught in her throat. He knew _exactly_ what he was doing, and Calleigh found herself completely without riposte. What was worse, he seemed to be reading her mind. "No clever comebacks?" he asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he leaned over the table to capture her lips.

She tried to come up with something clever, but he made it utterly impossible as his fingers skirted the hem of her shirt, momentarily dipping beneath to gently caress her skin. Instead, almost of its own accord, her mouth was moving. "I thought about it…" the words tumbled clumsily from her lips and she slowly trained her eyes on his. "I'm ready."

"Yeah?" he asked huskily, his fingers slowly moving up, tracing the covered swell of her breast, rendering her without words. "I have something for you," he whispered, his hot breath against her ear making it impossible for Calleigh to keep her eyes open.

But all at once, his hands were gone, face no longer so close to hers. She forced her eyes open. Intense gaze still locked on her, Jake reached down, coming up moments later with a simple gift bag.

He handed it to her slowly, and while Calleigh wasn't entirely sure what she was expecting to find in the bag, she was surprised at its weight. "Wha—" she began, surprised, but Jake cut her off with a gentle urge to open it.

Confused, Calleigh dropped her hand into the bag. Without looking, she grasped the first thing her fingers touched, and drew it out of the bag. "What is this?" she inquired, studying the small pillow.

Jake chuckled. "Keep going."

So one by one, Calleigh emptied the contents of the bag until the table before her held a small bottle of lavender, a few small candles, bath salts, and the little pillow. Frowning, Calleigh looked up, her confused gaze locking with Jake's all too amused one. "Is this a subtle way of saying I need a shower?"

He chuckled, the low rumble pulling directly at Calleigh's lower stomach. "No. More like a subtle way of saying that I'm going to clean up the kitchen so you can go take a bath and relax."

"Jake…you made dinner; I can clean up the kitchen."

But he shook his head, still fairly amused. "I don't do baths," he murmured. "Besides, this is for you." When she still didn't move, he gathered the items and handed them to her. "Go," he urged with a knee-weakening smile. "I promise I won't destroy your kitchen.

In spite of herself, Calleigh was intrigued. With one last glance towards Jake, she made her way to the bathroom to draw her bath.

Calleigh wasn't sure what to expect as she filled the tub with hot water, salts, and oils, but by the time she finally slipped into the steaming water, she half expected Jake to burst through the door and take her into her room like one of those harlequins her mom was so into. Calleigh rolled her eyes at her own thought process. It wasn't really Jake's style…and there was a good chance she'd locked the bathroom door simply out of habit.

So Calleigh took Jake's advice and relaxed, surprised at how one bath had not only calmed her, but it had loosened her academy-worked muscles. She'd have to remember to take more baths after the hard days.

As she was dozing, the quickly cooling water registered in her relaxed brain, indicating it was probably time to get out. As it was, she hadn't meant to leave Jake alone for so long. Opening the drain, Calleigh stood and grabbed a towel, quickly drying her body before wrapping it tightly about her head. Unable to stop herself, she glanced at her naked reflection in the mirror as she reached for her bra and panties…maybe Jake had been smart to go slowly; the very thought of someone else seeing her naked quickened her heart rate and seemed to make her incapable of taking a deep breath. Then again, she couldn't exactly say the thought didn't excite her as well. She'd seen a look, _that_ look, on the nights they'd dressed up to go out, after she'd emptied a round on an academy target, even sometimes when she'd taken down a guy twice her size during training, and she couldn't help but imagine those eyes on her in a whole new context. And his hands…whenever he touched her, it didn't matter where, his touch set her skin aflame, and the thought had Calleigh getting dressed more quickly to go out to meet Jake.

When she finally did enter the living room, she found Jake sprawled across the couch, one arm over his head and the remote dangling from loose fingers. She stopped in the entrance to just watch him. Finally, he looked up at her, and she smiled. "What have you been up to?" she inquired shyly.

Jake shrugged. "Just hanging out…waiting for you."

Smiling timidly, she said, "Oh. I think I'm just going to make some tea, you want some?"

"Sure."

Calleigh walked slowly to the kitchen, lost in her own thoughts as she prepared the tea. Maybe she'd been completely wrong. Maybe he didn't want her…too many maybes left her head spinning, as she pulled out two mugs and tea bags. She became so lost in her thoughts, Calleigh didn't hear him enter the kitchen, and it wasn't until she felt him behind her that she realized he was there. He was close—not touching, but close. He leaned in, and she could feel his hot breath against her ear as he said "I'm glad you got dressed again. I was worried you wouldn't."

She bit her lip not turning around so as not to reveal the mild blush that now adorned her cheeks. "Why?" she breathed out, the statement and actions seemingly very at odds in her mind.

Taking a step closer finally brought his body in contact with hers as he pushed her tank top strap to the side and kissed her now exposed shoulder. "Because I wanted to be the one to take them off," he admitted, his voice an adorable combination of husky and sheepish.

At this, Calleigh turned quickly to face him, placing her hands on his hips to draw him even closer. "Really?" she asked uncertainly. "I wasn't sure if—"

"Oh yeah," he assured her, his gravelly voice sending a shiver up her spine. Clearly noticing her reaction, Jake smiled and bent his head to kiss her. As he did so, he dipped his fingers beneath the hem of her shirt, running only his fingertips along her skin. "So soft…" he breathed against her lips, his awe-filled voice causing her heart to swell.

Forcefully, Calleigh swallowed the lump in her throat. "Well you did give me bath salts."

"You're always soft," he murmured, his lips traveling along her jawbone and down her neck, gently nipping at her pulse point.

Calleigh squirmed in his arms, her body instantly reacting to his actions, his intentions, and when she opened her mouth to retort, only a moan escaped. Jake smirked.

"That's what I thought," he said with a cocky chuckle. But before she could make a comment, he pressed his lips to hers once more, hands grasping the hem of her shirt. Pulling away, he searched her eyes for permission. Receiving a slight nod in response, he tenderly kissed her once more before pulling the fabric over her head.

Calleigh didn't look up immediately; she couldn't bring herself to meet his gaze right at that moment, for she'd never been in such a vulnerable position in her life. When she finally did raise her gaze, looking at him through her eyelashes, she found him studying her intently, a gentle smile gracing his lips.

"You're blushing," he informed her, causing a new wave of warmth to rush through her already heated body.

"You-you still have your shirt on," she fought to get the words out in proper order as she reached for the hem of his shirt. However, just as she grasped the fabric, he gathered both of her hands in his and pushed them away.

"Nope," he said with a wicked grin, one hand continuing to hold her hands captive as the other teased her bra strap from her shoulder. Gently, he rubbed his thumb along her shoulder before trailing it just above the top edge of the cup. His lips soon followed, slowly, and though neither would say it, both knew he was giving her the opportunity to back out if she wanted.

But by this point, backing out was the farthest thing from her mind as he slowly removed the other strap, pressing his lips over her erratically beating heart before returning once more to her mouth.

Again, she reached for his hem, and again he stopped her. "You've already seen _me_ shirtless," he mumbled into her mouth. In response, he received a squeak that sounded suspiciously like "okay" as he dropped his lips to her collarbone, kissing his way once more to her shoulder. She had become so distracted by the feeling of his lips against her skin—somehow he'd managed to arouse sensations in areas she'd once thought of as completely neutral—that it wasn't until he was sliding her jeans down her hips that she'd even realized he'd unbuttoned them. He quickly discarded her jeans before tracing gentle fingers up her outer thigh, over her hips, and finally up her sides. She shivered at his touch, and he responded with a low growl, "Do you have any idea what you're doing to me?"

Surprised, Calleigh pulled back, frowning. "Is that good or bad?" she asked somewhat self-consciously.

He smiled. "Very good," he informed her, taking her lips once more in a way that was, if possible, simultaneously heated and very tender.

She wasn't sure when they'd started moving, but they were. Not even bothering to see where they were going, she allowed him to back her up as her hands reached once more for the hem of his shirt. She drew her nails softly along his skin before once more grasping the fabric. This time he let her, and she pulled the shirt up as far as she could, tugging half-heartedly as she realized she wouldn't be able to get the shirt over his head. With a low chuckle, Jake took over, pulling the shirt over his head and tossing it aside. "Happy now?" he asked, leaning in to kiss her again.

Suddenly, the backs of Calleigh's legs came into contact with something soft. Up until this point, Calleigh had paid very little attention to her surroundings, instead focusing most of her attention on Jake and keeping her heart in her chest. However, at the new sensation, Calleigh broke away from the kiss and looked around, slightly confused to find herself in her bedroom. A chuckle drew her attention back to Jake and his earlier question. "You're still dressed" she finally answered, somewhat indignantly.

"Tonight isn't about me; it's about you."

Unable to hide the giddy smile tugging at her lips, Calleigh responded with, "That's really sweet, but I'd feel a lot better if you were a little more naked too." Sitting on the edge of the bed, she impulsively grabbed a belt loop and pulled him closer. Her fingers shook slightly as she struggled to undo his button and zipper, but when he stilled her hands and asked her if she was sure, she merely smiled and, not breaking eye contact, eased his pants over his hips and down.

Kicking his pants to the side, Jake bent down to shower her neck and shoulders with soft kisses as he unclasped her bra before drawing his fingers up over her shoulders to hook the straps. Calleigh shivered as his fingers trailed softly down her arms, pulling her bra. Finally discarding that as well, Jake bent down, planting kisses and nips on the sensitive flesh of her neck as he lowered her to the bed. Calleigh opened her eyes just as he pulled back, watching her for a moment. Judging by the smirk on his face, Calleigh could only imagine Jake was thoroughly proud of himself as he drew his finger from her bellybutton, up over one of her breasts, licking his lips at the shiver he received. "You're sure about this? 'Cause if you're not, I'll stop right now," he teased, finally allowing his lips to take the same path his finger just had. But all she could summon was a half whimper as his lips reached a particularly sensitive spot.

He continued his sensual assault of her body, working from her head to her toes and back up as he allowed them both time to learn what drove her crazy, what made her whimper or gasp. Her heart pounded irregularly in her chest, and her breath came out in short desperate gasps, but through all of this only one fact was clear in Calleigh's over stimulated brain: they hadn't technically done anything yet, but she was already beyond gone.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, Calleigh registered a low, pleased chuckle from Jake, most likely because of the moan that escaped her lips as he pressed a kiss to the side of her breast.

"I'll keep that one in mind for next time," he murmured, his breath scorching her already overheated skin.

"You-you're so sure there's going to b—," she began, fully intending to put his growing ego in check, but the sudden double assault of fingers and tongue stopped her abruptly. Her breath hitched audibly, her retort dying at her lips.

Nuzzling into her collarbone, Jake chuckled. "There doesn't have to be a this time. I can stop any time," he drawled, "can you?" To prove his point, he traced a finger over her hip and along her inner thigh, coming simultaneously too close and not close enough to the one place he'd deliberately avoided this entire time.

She swallowed hard, eyes squeezed shut in anticipation. But when his fingertips fluttered over her navel, Calleigh opened her eyes, watching him as she softly murmured, "Jake…"

Gently fingering the lacy top of her panties, he kissed her softly before pulling back, his eyes locking with hers. "Do you trust me?" he asked, sliding the pad of his thumb along the soft skin of her hip.

Calleigh hesitated slightly, drawing a deep breath before offering a single, slow nod. Jake gently slid the material over her hips and down, keeping his eyes locked with hers the entire time. And Calleigh couldn't help but shiver at the intensity of his gaze. She'd seen that look in his eyes before, but never like this, and the realization would have weakened her knees were she still standing.

All remaining barriers removed, he leaned back to gaze at her intently, his fingers ghosting over her hip bone. "You're so beautiful," he murmured reverently, leaning in once more to place a kiss to her collarbone before bringing his lips to her ear. "I won't hurt you," he promised, his hot breath tickling the side of her face.

With that promise, he brought them together slowly, gently, his intense brown eyes watching her ever so closely. Waiting until he received a slight nod, Jake set a leisurely pace, going between kissing exposed skin and whispering anything and everything to her. Whatever Calleigh had expected, whatever she'd heard from other people, this was so much different—so much better—as he repeatedly brought her to the edge, only allowing her release when she whimpered a strangled "please." Afterwards, he held her close, idly drawing shapes along her bare shoulder. Between the soothing movement of his fingers and the afterglow, Calleigh felt herself drifting into sleep. It was only when she heard a low chuckle in her ear that she forced her eyes open.

"What?" she asked, unable to keep from smiling.

"You're falling asleep on me," Jake responded. "I assume that's a good sign?"

"Yeah," she said sleepily, "but don't let it go to your head, Berkeley," she then added, turning her body to face him.

"So there'll be a next time?" he teased, pressing a chaste kiss to her forehead.

Calleigh smirked. "Gonna have to be. I've got an entire box of—" Calleigh began, stopping suddenly as her somewhat dazed mind registered one thing: she'd left the box of condoms in the living room.

Jake must have seen the look of pure panic on her face because he smiled gently, stroking her cheek. "You okay?" he asked

Calleigh frowned. "I-I bought condoms…but I forgot them," she whispered, forcing herself not to panic.

But Jake merely offered a reassuring smile and pressed a kiss to the crown of her head. "Don't worry, I've got it covered," he mumbled into her hair.

Calleigh let out a relieved sigh, but couldn't help but smile. "You have no idea what I went through to get those," she told him sheepishly.

At the mere thought this brought to Jake's mind, he couldn't help but smirk. "Knowing you, I think I've got a pretty good idea," he teased.

Calleigh chuckled, a blush blooming on her still flushed cheeks. She had a snappy comeback ready, but she smiled and bit her tongue, content to simply enjoy the sated silence, until, just as she was drifting off to sleep, she found herself needing to say one more thing. "Jake," she murmured sleepily.

"Hmm?"

Eyes still peacefully closed, she said, "Thank you…for being so wonderful." Quickly, she ducked her head, pressing her forehead against his chest as she smiled sheepishly. She knew Jake well enough to know the compliment would go to his head, but at the moment, she didn't mind in the slightest. As far as she was concerned, Jake deserved to be pleased with himself.

After all, she was.


End file.
